Job Summary

The Senior Veterinary Technician is responsible for ensuring the humane care and treatment of laboratory animals across multiple research facilities. In this role, the Technician oversees the health and well-being of all laboratory animals, manages animal health surveillance, and provides routine veterinary care, including preoperative, operative, and postoperative care. The Technician also manages inventory for drugs, surgical, and medical supplies to ensure timely availability of necessary materials for animal care.
The Technician oversees veterinary care across several facilities. This includes coordinating the import of animals from non-approved vendors into quarantine, conducting health surveillance testing of quarantine animals, and working closely with the Director of Veterinary Services to ensure animals are cleared from quarantine and ready for use in research.

As a key leader in the department, the Technician is responsible for hiring, training, and supporting veterinary technicians, while also addressing human resource issues that arise. The Technician assesses staffing needs, prepares justifications for any staffing changes, and approves timesheets for veterinary technicians. Additionally, the Technician ensures compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and policies governing the care and use of animals in research.

The Technician acts as a primary resource for researchers, their staff, and students on matters related to animal health and care, providing expert advice and guidance. In partnership with the Director of Veterinary Services, the Technician helps maintain full accreditation of laboratory animal facilities by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC).

Essential Functions

• Fiscal Responsibility
  • Maintains and orders all medical and surgical supplies for ULAR.
  • Assist researchers in ordering supplies.
  • Chargeback for supplies ordered for researchers and technician time spent working on specific cases.
  • Coordinate all payroll and human resources requests for veterinary technicians at each site.
  • Evaluate veterinary technicians on a semi-annual and annual basis for merit raises.
• Employee Interaction/Supervision
  • Works in conjunction with departmental staff and employees within the institution.
  • Daily interaction with all levels of research personnel.
  • Supervise veterinary technician(s).
  • Assists the veterinarian, ULAR, and veterinary technicians to ensure proper care and use of animals in research.
  • Regularly interacts with Associate Director, ULAR to coordinate housing of quarantine animals and movement of animals within facility.
• Policy and Procedure Interpretation
  • Major role in establishing, reviewing, updating and implementing ULAR’s Standard Operating Procedures.
  • Assists in the development of university wide IACUC Policies.
  • Assists in preparation of AAALAC program descriptions as well as acting as the backup institutional contact, assisting with document preparation, and participating in site visits for re-accreditation.
  • Is fully conversant, instructs and regulates others on applicable laws, regulations and policies such as the Animal Welfare Act and the University policies concerning the care and use of laboratory animals.
  • Reviews IACUC approvals and Biosafety Protocols for implementation in facility.
  • Serve as an alternate voting member of the IACUC.
• Internal Clients/Contacts (Other than ULAR)
  • Frequent interactions with investigators and their research staff and students to ensure proper experimental use and quality care of animals in research, including clearly outlining treatment plans for animals requiring care.
  • Monitor animal research to ensure investigators are following IACUC approved animal procedures and recordkeeping.
  • Advise Investigators when writing experimental protocols on issues relating to animal health and care.
• External Clients/Contacts
  • Frequent contact with suppliers of animal health equipment and supplies, maintenance companies, and animal transportation carriers.
  • Frequent contacts with Import/Export personnel of animal facilities in the greater Delaware Valley region and nationwide.
  • Participates in animal facility inspections with USDA, IACUC, safety and AAALAC representatives.
• Training
  • Ensures veterinary technicians are appropriately trained in identifying and treating common laboratory animal health conditions.
  • Reviews staff training needs and oversees and coordinates individual or group training sessions with trainers.
  • Maintains records of in-house staff training.
  • Works with outside vendors to setup CE training sessions for staff.
• Professional Development
  • Keeps abreast of current activities in the area of laboratory animal health and animal care by reviewing appropriate literature and attending regional and national meetings.
  • Attends local and non-local meetings and lectures on laboratory animal health and related topics.
• Information Management
  • Maintain data in animal facility software database.
  • Maintains timesheets and related payroll documents for direct reports.
  • Develop and update Sharepoint site for ULAR.
• Inventory Management
  • Oversees receipt and distribution of animal health related supplies and equipment.
  • Coordinates orders for capital and non-capital supplies, including anesthesia machines and imaging devices.
  • Ensure animals are delivered to quarantine facility and moved to main vivarium according to health testing results and that laboratory staff is made aware of animal movement.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of bachelor's degree in veterinary science or related field or the equivalent combination of education and work experience. 
  • Please review the Equivalency Chart for additional information.
• Minimum of 3 years of laboratory animal veterinary care in animal care/use facility/establishment.
• Minimum of 5 years of full-time experience as veterinary technician.

Preferred Qualifications

• Veterinary technician certification.
• Must be dedicated to the humane care and use of laboratory animals.
• Must have knowledge of common practices of humane animal care.
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks carefully and completely.
• Motor coordination to grasp small animals to avoid injury to the animal or the handler.
• Must have knowledge of normal animal behavior.
• Must have skill in various restraint and injection techniques in common laboratory animal species.
• Must be able to work unsupervised.
• Ability to function as a member of a team is essential
• Adequate computer skills (word processing, database generation, etc.).
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Strong administrative skills with ability to multi-task.
• Ability to work effectively with individuals at various levels and in disparate organizations.
• Knowledge of regulatory and compliance issues concerning the proper use and care of animals in research.

Physical Demands

• Typically standing, walking
• Typically bending, crouching, stooping
• Lifting demands ≤ 50lbs

Location

• Other - See posting for details

Additional Information
This position is classified as Exempt, grade K. Compensation for this grade ranges from $54,630 to $81,940 per year. Please note that the offered rate for this position typically aligns with the minimum to midrange of this grade, but it can vary based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the Professional Staff salary structure and Compensation Guidelines & Policies for more details on Drexel’s compensation framework. For information about benefits, please review Drexel’s Benefits Brochure.

Special Instructions to the Applicant
Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application.

A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.